Smyrna City Council recently voted to hire a former Paulding administrator to act as city administrator. The city administrator oversees staff and the day-to-day operations of the city.

Experienced Appointment
Mike Jones assumed the Smyrna position in August on an interim basis. From 2009 until March 2015, Jones served as the county administrator for Paulding County. Jones, an Air Force Veteran, earned his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from the Southern College of Technology, which is now Kennesaw State, in 1996. He earned a Master of Science degree in civil engineering from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville in 1997. He also holds an Associate of Science degree in bioenvironmental engineering technology from the Community College of the Air Force which he earned in 1990. Jones was hired by Paulding County Chairman David Austin due to his hydraulics engineering expertise. His knowledge was important in gaining approval of the Richland Creek Reservoir by the federal government. He resigned, along with three other department heads, following the election of three county commissioners opposed to many of Austin’s policies.

Keep Momentum Going
Jones said that he plans to keep the city’s momentum going, transitioning the “old Smyrna into the new Smyrna. He is hoping to accelerate work on infrastructure projects that were identified in a 2016 special purpose local option sales tax. One of the projects is the Windy Hill corridor and Jones hopes to keep the city from being a stumbling block to development and redevelopment. His appointment was by unanimous vote of the city council, which he said was humbling. He said that although the job didn’t change overnight, to be hired unanimously was nice. His wife and son were on hand to witness his swearing in on January 18 by Cobb Superior Court Judge Ann Harris.

Active in Professional Organizations
In addition to his duties with the city, Jones will continue to remain active in many professional organizations. He is a member of the Water Environment Federation and the American Society of Civil Engineers. He is a 2010 graduate of the Regional Leadership Institute program sponsored by the Atlanta Regional Commission. He is a registered Professional Engineer in George and in Alabama. His articles have been published in many peer-reviewed journals related to government and engineering.

Waggoner Insurance is pleased to welcome the new Smyrna city administrator to the town. We know that under his guidance, Smyrna will continue to grow and thrive. Waggoner wants to provide you with all the life, health, auto and home insurance you need. Contact us today to arrange a consultation for one of our agents to review your current policies to be sure you have the best protection possible. We want to be sure your family and your property are protected in case of an emergency. Arrange for your consultation today online or give us a call to talk with our experienced agents to be sure your family and property will be taken care of should tragedy strike.

Source:
Neighbor Newspapers